Deodorizing and cleaning garbage disposals

ABSTRACT

DEODORIZING AND CLEANING GARBAGE DISPOSAL BY SUPPLYING THERETO A CAPSULE COMPRISING CITRUS OIL, SURFACTANT AND WATER MISCIBLE SOLVENT ENCAPSULATED IN SAID CAPSULE.

United States Patent Oflice 3,775,334 1 DEODORIZING AND CLEANING GARBAGEDISPOSALS Sharon K. Christie, Long Island City, N.Y., assignor toUniversal Oil Products Company, Des Plaines, Ill. No Drawing. Filed Oct.28, 1971, Ser. No. 193,548 Int. Cl. B29c 13/00; Cl'ld 7/50 US. Cl.252-171 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Deodorizing and cleaninggarbage disposal by supplying thereto a capsule comprising citrus oil,surfactant and water miscible solvent encapsulated in said capsule.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well recognized that on occasionshousehold garbage disposal units emit undesirable odors. While oneremedy to remove such odors is to drop sections of citrus fruit into thedisposal, a suflicient stock of such citrus fruit generally is notavailable in most cases. Accordingly, there is a need for a ready sourceof supply for such citrus material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In addition to providing a ready source ofthe citrus material, the present invention provides the same in aconvenient and easy to use manner, thus eliminating the prior necessityof cutting or peeling the fruit to section the same. Furthermore, thepresent invention provides a novel mixture which contains a surfactantto emulsify fatty build up and a water miscible solvent to dissolvegrease deposits. Accordingly, the novel capsule of the present inventionserves both to deodorize and to clean the garbage disposal unit.

In one embodiment the present invention relates to a method ofdeodorizing a garbage disposal, which comprises supplying thereto acapsule comprising citrus oil, surfactant and water miscible solventencapsulated in said capsule.

In another embodiment the present invention relates to a novel capsulehaving the citrus oil, surfactant and water miscible solventencapsulated therein.

As hereinbefore set forth one component of the capsule is citrus oil.Any suitable citrus oil may be used and may be generically described asa highly terpinated oil. Specifically, the citrus oil is an oil oflemon, orange, lime, grapefruit, etc. In another embodiment a mixture ofthe citrus oils may be used. In a preferred embodiment, the rind oilsare used. It is understood that the specific citrus oil or mixture willbe selected to suit the preference of the user.

Another component of the capsule is a surfactant. The surfactant servesto emulsify fatty build up and thus to facilitate the ready removalthereof. Any suitable surfactant may be used and may be of nonionic,anionic, cationic or amphoteric type. A suitable surfactant is of theethoxylated alkylphenol type, including particularly octylphenoxypolyethoxy ethanol. Another particularly suitable surfactant is the monoor diglycerides. Other surfactants include sulfosuccinates,sulfoadipates, sulfopimelates, sulfosuberates, etc. The surfactant maybe of natural or synthetic origin, with the only requirement being thatit is liquid and serves to emulsify and thus facilitate the removal offatty materials.

Illustrative surfactants include (1) sulfated castor oil, (2) sulfatesof long chain alcohols prepared by the hydrogenation of fats which maycontain from 8 to 20 carbon atoms and more particularly from 10 to 18carbon atoms, (3) partly esterified polyglycerols and particularly theseesterified with one molecule of fatty acid, (4) glycerol 3,775,334Patented Nov. 27, 1973 esters of fatty acids prepared by treating theacid with ethylene oxide, (5) triethanolamine salts of fatty acids, (6)ethoxylated hexylphenol, ethoxylated heptylphenol, ethoxylatedoctylphenol, ethoxylated nonylphenol, ethoxylated decylphenol, (7) monoor diglycerides of fats or fatty acids containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms,etc.

As hereinbefore set forth any suitable surfactant which serves toemulsify the fatty material in the disposal unit may be used. In oneembodiment a preferred surfactant is octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol,which surfactant is available commercially under the tradename of TritonX-l00. This surfactant is stated to contain 10 moles of ethylene oxideper molecule and to have a viscosity of 250 centipoises at 77 F.(Brookfield) and a specific gravity of about 1.065 at 77 F. Anotherpreferred surfactant is the mono and diglyceride of fat, whichsurfactant is available commercially under the tradename of Arlacel 186and is stated to have a viscosity of about 150 centipoises at 77 F. anda specific gravity of about 1.0 at 77 F.

Another component of the capsule is a water miscible solvent to dissolvethe grease deposits and to facilitate removal thereof from the disposalunit. A particularly preferred solvent is ethylene glycol monobutylether, also known as butyl Cellosolve. Other Cellosolves includes methylCellosolve, ethyl Cellosolve, propyl Cellosolve, amyl Cellosolve, hexylCellosolve, etc. Another suitable solvent is dioxan. Still othersolvents may be selected from (1) alcohols, including butanol, pentanol,etc., ethers including dimethyl ether, ethylmethyl ether, diethyl ether,propylmethyl ether, propylethyl ether, dipropyl ether, etc., (2) ketonesincluding acetone, methylethyl ketone, diethyl ketone, propylmethylketone, dipropyl ketone, acetylacetone, etc., (3) esters includingmethyl acetate, methyl propionate, methyl butyrate, ethyl acetate,propyl acetate, etc., as well as mixtures of these.

In still another embodiment, the mixture may contain a cutting oil andparticuluarly a deodorized kerosine fraction. Any high molecular weight,straight chain or branched aliphatic hydrocarbon may be used. In orderto avoid possible flammability problems, the hydrocarbon fraction shouldhave an initial boiling point of above about 400 F. Deodorized kerosineis particularly suitable for this purpose, although specialty oils,which have an initial boiling point of about 400 F. and adequatelyrefined to eliminate odors may be used. A number of these cutting oilsare available commercially and may be used for the purposes of thepresent invention.

The components of the mixture as used in any suitable proportions. Inone embodiment the mixture may comprise from about 25% to about 90% andpreferably from about 50% to about by weight of citrus oil, from about5% to about 30% and preferably from about 5% to about 20% by weightsurfactant, and from about 5% to about 45% and preferably from about 10%to about 30% by weight of solvent. In another embodiment, when cuttingoil is employed, the cutting oil may comprise from about 10% to about60% by weight of the mixture with the other ingredients being in thesame relative proportions to each other as hereinbefore set forth.Specific examples of suitable mixtures are set forth in the appendedexamples. It is understood that the mixture also may contain otheringredients as desired.

The capsule may be formed in any suitable manner, using gum, gelatin orother suitable encapsulating material. The capsule preferably is of thesoft or elastic type, and may be prepared in any suitable machine whichmay be of the flat type, rotary type, reciprocating type, etc. Theencapsulation of liquid mixtures is well known in the art and need notbe described herein in detail. The capsule may be of any suitable shape,including round,

ovoid, etc. The size of the capsule should be small enough forconvenient handling and preferably is within range from about 14" toabout in diameter. It is understood that the capsule may be of smalleror larger size but preferably will not be above about 1" in diameter,nor below about /a" in diameter.

The capsules are supplied to the disposal unit in any suitable manner.In a preferred method, all garbage in the disposal unit is firstdisposed of, then 2 to 4 capsules are dropped into the disposal unitand, with hot water running, the disposal unit is turned on for 10 to 60and pref erably from 15 to 30 seconds. This serves to removeobjectionable odors and also to help clean the disposal unit.

The following examples are introduced to further illustrate the noveltyand utility of the present invention but not with the intention ofunduly limiting the same.

Example I The citrus oil of this example comprises 70% by weight oforange oil and 10% by weight each of lemon oil, lime oil and grapefruitoil. The mixture for encapsulation comprises 75% by weight of the citrusoils, 10% by weight of butyl Cellosolve surfactant and 15% by weight ofArlacel which, as hereinbefore set forth, is the mono and diglycoxide offat. The above mixture is encapsulated in gum, using a rotary typeencapsulating machine. The capsules are round in shape and of diameter.

Example II The citrus oil of this example is a mixture of 50% lemon oiland 50% lime oil. The liquid mixture for encapsulation comprises 80% byweight of the citrus oils, 5% by weight of sulfated castor oilsurfactant and 15 by weight of the dioxan solvent.

Example III The mixture of Example I is further mixed with a deodorizedkerosine as cutting oil. The mixture is prepared by commingling 70% byweight of the mixture of Example I with 30% by weight of the kerosinefraction, and the resultant mixture is encapsulated in a reciprocatingtype encapsulating apparatus. The capsules are formed as ovoids of about/2 diameter and about 1" long.

Example IV The mixture of Example II is further mixed with deodorizedkerosine in proportions of 75% of the former and 25% by weight of thelatter. The resultant mixture is encapsulated in gelatin to form roundcapsules of about /2" in diameter.

Example V In use, garbage is disposed of from the disposal unit, afterwhich 2 to 4 capsules prepared as described in any of Examples I throughIV are dropped into the disposal unit. With hot water running, thedisposal unit is turned on for about 25 seconds. As hereinbefore setforth, this serves to remove objectionable odors and also to clean thedisposal unit.

I claim as my invention:

1. A capsule adapted for use in deodorizing and cleaning garbagedisposal units which comprises a capsule of gum or gelatin encapsulatingmaterial within which is encapsulated a mixture of from about 25 toabout 90% by weight citrus oil, from about 5% to about 20% by weight ofa liquid surfactant capable of emulsifying fatty materials and fromabout 5% to about 45% by weight of water miscible solvent selected fromthe group consisting of methyl Cellosolve, ethyl Cellosolve, propylCellosolve, butyl Cellosolve, amyl Cellosolve, hexyl Cellosolve, dioxan,dipropyl ketone, acetylacetone and propyl acetate.

2. The capsule of claim 1 in which said citrus oil is orange oil.

3. The capsule of claim 1 in which said citrus oil is lemon oil.

4. The capsule of claim 1 in which said citrus oil is lime oil.

5. The capsule of claim 1 in which said citrus oil is grapefruit oil.

6. The capsule of claim 1 in which said citrus oil comprises a mixtureof citrus oils.

7. The capsule of claim 1 in which said surfactant is a glyceride offat.

8. The capsule of claim 1 in which said surfactant is octylphenoxypolyethoxy ethanol.

9. The capsule of claim 1 in which said solvent is ethylene glycolmonobutyl ether.

10. The capsule of claim 1 further characterized in that theencapsulated mixture further contains cutting oil, said cutting oilbeing present in an amount of from about 10% to about by weight of saidmixture of citrus oil, surfactant and solvent.

11. A method of deodorizing and cleaning a garbage disposal unit whichcomprises supplying thereto a capsule of claim 1.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,041,180 6/1962 Swisher 99-140 R3,495,988 2/1970 Balassa 252-316 X 3,516,943 6/1970 Brynko et al. 2523162,754,215 7/1956 Evans et al. 99l40 R 2,077,060 4/1937 White 424-762,546,898 3/1951 Mark 42476 X 2,667,268 1/1954 Grifiin 424-14 3,115,47112/1963 Matuska et al. 252l64 X 3,528,925 9/ 1970 Chapuis 252316 XRICHARD D. LOVERING, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

21-55; 25289, 170, 316, 551, Dig 1, Dig 3; 264-4

